2017-2018 Financial Aid for Graduate Students

To determine financial aid eligibility:

  • Complete your admission as a degree-seeking or certificategraduate student or a continuing graduate student in good academic standing at MSUM.
  • Complete and submitthe 2017-2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at MSUM School Code is 002367.
  • The 2017-2018 FAFSA is based on 2015 income. Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer tax information to the FAFSA.
  • Graduate students are independent for financial aid purposes and not requiredto provide parental data on the FAFSA.
  • Submit your FAFSA even if your admission application is not yet submitted or is pending.

Funding may be availablein the following programs:

  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Complete the FAFSA to borrow through the Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan program. Unsubsidized loans are not based on financial need. Students taking at least 6 graduate credits each semestercan borrow up to the total cost of the annual MSUM financial aid budget or $20,500 annual loan limit. Students taking graduate level coursework without admissionas a degree-seeking graduate student are eligible for private loans only.(Exception: students admitted to a graduate certificate program with an approved program of study may be eligible for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans.)

  • Graduate Work Study

Eligibility is based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Students receiving funding through the graduate work study program must be enrolled for at least 6 graduate credits each semester. Early applications receive priority for awarding graduate work study. Departments may refer nominations to the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid for review.Graduate Work Study vacancies are posted to Dragon Jobs at

  • Graduate Assistantships

Eligibility is not always based on financial need; students may be required to complete the FAFSA if instructed to do so by the assistantship supervisor.Assistantships are assigned in the summer; early application is encouraged. Check out the Graduate Assistantshipsposted to Dragon Jobs at

  • Private Loans(if necessary)

Students taking graduate level credits without admission to an eligible graduate degree or certificate programare eligible to applyfor private loans only. Apply at Select ‘Private Loans’ and ‘List of Private Loan Programs.’ Submit the application at least one month prior to the start of the semester.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal and state regulations require all students make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of degree or certificate requirements to receive student financial aid. All prior terms of attempted graduate enrollment, including summer, are considered in determining satisfactory progress regardless of whether aid was awarded for the term. Students must complete and pass a minimum of 67% of attempted graduate credits. The GPA requirement for continuation in good standing in graduate programs is found in the official Graduate Bulletin. Failure to meet satisfactory progress standards results in ineligibility for state and federal aid programs (i.e., loans, graduate work assistantships, Vocational Rehabilitation, Indian Scholarships, and University Scholarships). The university reserves the right to withdraw aid if it becomes readily apparent that a student has not maintained satisfactory academic progress.

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